Rome wasn't built in a day - to-do listLike many people running a home business doing something they are passionate about, I have the patience of a flea, and nothing ever happens quickly enough for me. Last evening I was complaining to the long-suffering (and fortunately patient) A that my to-do list wasn’t shrinking fast enough. Ideally I would prefer each item to take just a day, I told him, and then I’d feel I was making progress. Yes, do SEO for the whole site, and write a new section for writers working from home, each in just a day.

‘Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day, was it?’ was the answer. Not very original perhaps, but I had to laugh, imagining the Ancient Romans’ to-do list:

Monday – build Rome
Tuesday – conquer all known Western world
Wednesday – conquer all unknown Western world
Thursday – whoops, collapse of empire

The most flattering description of this affliction of impatience is by Barbara Winter, who helps people to be creatively self-employed or ‘joyfully jobless’. Barbara says ‘Impatience is the curse of the visionary’, which is balm to my impatient spirit. Who wouldn’t be seduced by the possibility of being a visionary?

Her phrase also captures the frustration I feel when I’ve had a good idea and I can so clearly see what it’s going to look like when it’s finished, only to realise that, not having attained the art of instant manifestation, a lot of time and effort will be expended before it’s complete.

By the way, having said nothing ever happens quickly enough, I tweeted Barbara to check I was quoting her correctly – and her reply came back immediately! The marvels of Twitter – even quick enough for impatient visionaries! If you like the sound of Barbara, you can follow her on Twitter for regular pithy reminders and links to thought-provoking articles.

OK, time for my next task – now, how far did I get with my SEO yesterday?